Australian cinema came to Clunes, Beulah and Warrnambool: Here's what was filmed

West Vic is a region known for many things - wine, sprawling farms, the Great Ocean Road, potholes. 

It’s also been the setting for several films. We’ve compiled a list of the movies you might not know were filmed in your own backyard. 

Mad Max (1979) 

Mad Max, the 1979 cult Australian film, launched a franchise that lives on today and remains a source of inspiration in pop culture, owing to its vision combining the aesthetics of punk and post-apocalyptic action against the backdrop of a barren wasteland. It was also the breakout role for Mel Gibson. 

The film centres on a dystopian Australia after societal collapse, and follows vigilante Max Rockatansky on a quest for revenge after the death of his family. 

The connection to West Vic? In the film, the main street of Clunes becomes the fictional town Wee Jerusalem. 

The Dry (2020) 

The Dry is 2020 film based on the novel of the same name by British-Australian author Jane Harper, starring Eric Bana. A man, Aaron Falk, returns to his rural hometown to attend the funeral of a childhood friend, who has allegedly murdered his wife and child. 

Mystery ensues as Falk investigates the crime and the small town’s old secrets resurface.  

The connection to West Vic? The town at the core of the film’s mysteries, Kiewarra, is actually the real-life Wimmera Mallee town of Beulah. Locations in Minyip, Dimboola and Hopetoun were also used for scenes inside a pub and as the Kiewarra school grounds. 

The film’s sequel, The Dry 2, was also filmed in the Otways. 

Ned Kelly (2003) 

The 2003 film Ned Kelly, starring Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom, Naomi Watts and Geoffrey Rush, follows a dramatised account of the life of one of Australia's most well-known bushrangers. 

The connection to West Vic? Several West Vic towns appeared in the film, including Clunes, Hepburn Springs and Ballarat. 

The 2019 film True History of the Kelly Gang, starring Russell Crowe, also filmed in Clunes. 

The Dressmaker (2015) 

The Dressmaker, featuring Kate Winslet and Liam Hemsworth, follows a woman returning to her country hometown after a 25-year absence and being blamed for the death of a child. 

The connection to West Vic? Several exterior sequences in the film use the scenery of Horsham and Murtoa in the Wimmera Mallee region. 

Oddball (2015) 

Oddball follows the true story of Maremma sheepdogs being trained to protect penguins from foxes on Middle Island. The film stars Shane Jacobson, Deborah Mailman and Sarah Snook. 

The connection to West Vic? It’s hard to make a film about a true story on a unique island off the coast of Warrnambool without filming in, of course, Warrnambool and on parts of the Great Ocean Road. 

Ride Like a Girl (2019) 

Ride Like a Girl tells another true story, this one about the first female jockey - Michelle Payne - to win the Melbourne Cup. It stars Teresa Palmer and Sam Neill. 

The connection to West Vic? Michelle Payne grew up in Miners Rest in Ballarat, so it stands to reason that portions of the movie were filmed in the regional city.

Honourable Mention: Round the Twist (1990 - 2001) 

While not a film, Round the Twist is an Australian classic with a theme song etched into the memory of many kids growing up in the early 2000s. 

It follows the supernatural experiences of the Twist family after moving into a lighthouse in a fictional coastal town. 

The connection to West Vic? The Twist family’s lighthouse is actually Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet.